Zu Ibis Vs. Wax

BikeWNC · « **on:** 8 Jan 2003, 03:14 am »

I've noticed several people here are using Zu Cable Wax speaker cables. Has anyone compared the Ibis and Wax cables?

ton1313 · « **Reply #1 on:** 8 Jan 2003, 05:05 pm »

Quote from: Tsunami

I've noticed several people here are using Zu Cable Wax speaker cables. Has anyone compared the Ibis and Wax cables?

I have done a comparison and posted it over at HD. Here is the link http://www.harmonicdiscord.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6042

You will find my impressions with a few others.

Cheers

BikeWNC · « **Reply #2 on:** 8 Jan 2003, 09:18 pm »

Ton1313,

Thanks for the reply. I had read that thread at HD a while back. I guess what I was really wondering was why those using the Wax cables hadn't upgraded to the Ibis. I realize that there is a significant cost issue involved. I must confess that I have the Ibis cables and have been doing a comparison between the Ibis and Kimber Monocle XL for some time. You would think as different as these two cables are I would be able to choose one or the other. However, I have had a few component changes as of late which makes me want to reevaluate both of them in my system.

ton1313 · « **Reply #3 on:** 9 Jan 2003, 11:58 am »

I think that there are a lot more people that have the Ibis, than are posting. I spoke with a guy from CA, he just got his Ibis and a Pair of the Druid 2 speakers from Zu. He is literally floored by how awsome the sound is from this combination. I have the first version of the Druids, and I will be upgrading to the 2 shortly.

Back to the WAX, they are very good in their price range, but the Ibis is just all out better. Yes, they cost a little more, but they were wort it.

Cheers

jcoat007 · « **Reply #4 on:** 9 Jan 2003, 03:06 pm »

I would love to upgrade to the Ibis, but it is double the cost. To me "double" does not mean "a little more expensive".

I know this is really hard to quantify, but is it twice as good as the WAX?

ton1313 · « **Reply #5 on:** 9 Jan 2003, 03:10 pm »

Quote from: jcoat007

I would love to upgrade to the Ibis, but it is double the cost. To me "double" does not mean "a little more expensive".

I know this is really hard to quantify, but is it twice as good as the WAX?

Frankly, Yes it is that good. You mentioned in a different post that you were biwiring the Wax. You could single run the Ibis, and use the Zu jumpers. This would save you some bucks. My theory is that a better single run of cable will perform better that a double run of lesser cables. If you talk with Zu, I am sure that they would work with you on your situation.

Cheers.

JoshK · « **Reply #6 on:** 9 Jan 2003, 08:41 pm »

I am a Zu Wax cable user and have been interested in the IBIS for some time. Frankly, I hardly find any "value" to be had no matter how good they are with these speakers because they are simply too expensive. IMO, one has gone too far up the diminishing curve at this price point. Maybe they do measure up to $4,000 speaker cables, I don't care, $1200 is still too much IMHO. I think one is better off with the reasonably priced Wax or other comparable cable and getting better IC's like the bybee Nitros.
Just my $.02

JoshK · « **Reply #7 on:** 9 Jan 2003, 08:47 pm »

Quote from: jcoat007

I know this is really hard to quantify, but is it twice as good as the WAX?

I am afraid this is just physically impossible based on the laws of nature for fairly priced cables to have their prices be linearly related to their performance. Probably looks more like a natural log curve. If you know what the "efficient frontier" is in Finance/Economics, undoubtedly companies like bolder cables, empirical research, etc lie on the efficient frontier (with no riskless asset), while cables from manufacturers like Audioquest, Cardas, Harmonic Technology lie nowhere near the efficient frontier.

Beezer · « **Reply #8 on:** 9 Jan 2003, 10:07 pm »

Josh,

I'm not sure $600 interconnects are any better "value" than $1,200 speaker cables, especially when multiple runs are necessary.

Beez

JoshK · « **Reply #9 on:** 9 Jan 2003, 10:12 pm »

I put my nitro's between the pre and the amp and I wouldn't say multiple runs are needed. This, of course, is all IMO, but IC's given more bang for the buck at a given price to begin with, so half the price, I would say, yeah they are more value. YMMV, Josh

BikeWNC · « **Reply #10 on:** 9 Jan 2003, 10:25 pm »

Zu Cable ran a promo over at HD when the Ibis first came out. A 6 foot pair was less than half the $1200 mentioned. Still expensive, however I felt that at the discount offered that I could probably recoup most of the cost if they needed to be sold. Again, what are you getting for your money at the higher price points? What are the expectations? A more open, transparent or honest passing of the audio signal? Be carefull what you wish for if your upstream equipment is not up to the task. Just my personal experience.

BikeWNC · « **Reply #11 on:** 9 Jan 2003, 10:42 pm »

I meant to add the smell of money burning to my last post, but couldn't figure out how to do that. Anyone?

ton1313 · « **Reply #12 on:** 10 Jan 2003, 12:03 pm »

If you compair the price of the Ibis to that of the Top level Kimber, Straightwire, Audioquest, etc. They are by far a bargain. For those that have a limit to how much you would spend on cables, I do respect that. That being said, I also felt that anything over $500 would be out of my range, but after listening to more expensive cables, I realized that they make more of a difference that some new components. This could be used as a rationalization to buy better cables, because many of the better components cost much more than a $1200 pair of speaker cables.

Cheers.

jcoat007 · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Jan 2003, 01:52 pm »

I agree that in the scheme of things, ZU represents a tremendous value in the audio spectrum. I mean their top-of-line IC is $380 for a meter pair. Not bad. I got in on the HD discount on my WAX bi-wires, so I am not in for the full tilt on those. At the price I paid, they are a tremendous value. For me to step up to the IBIS at full price (while it may be a relative bargain) is still too much for me. And where I really have a hard time is when I look at it as a percentage of my overall system cost. The IBIS would be about 25% of my whole system. And that's just speaker cables. So far all of my cables (speaker, IC and power) have cost me roughly 20-25% of my whole system which I think may still be a little too much.

Steve

audiojerry · « **Reply #14 on:** 10 Jan 2003, 02:52 pm »

Doesn't Zu have a trade-in or trade-up policy?

jcoat007 · « **Reply #15 on:** 10 Jan 2003, 03:42 pm »

Yep. 50% of retail towards the purchase of a new set. I have not checked their website recently, but that's what it used to be.

The net trade up cost for me would be roughly $2,000 for a bi-wire set at the length that I need.

ouch!

audiojerry · « **Reply #16 on:** 10 Jan 2003, 03:54 pm »

jcoat007, you are right, that would be a big hurt. How big of an effect is the use of bi-wiring vs single wiring? In my experience, the effect has always been minimal at best. Have you considered trading both bi-wire Wax for a single Ibis, or using one Ibis and one Wax in biwire config? What are your speakers?

I'd like to try the Ibis myself, but I need 12', and that's another ouch.

Rakesh · « **Reply #17 on:** 10 Jan 2003, 04:10 pm »

I have beeing using IBIS with superb results.

jcoat007 · « **Reply #18 on:** 10 Jan 2003, 04:57 pm »

Audojerry - Vandersteen 3A Signatures with dual Vandersteen 2Wq subs. The Ibis might work in this configuration because the Vandersteen crossover high passes at 80hz. Since the 3A's never see the lower end there might not be the same benefit as there was when I was running them full range.

Richard Vandersteen swears by the bi-wire, but I don't know what he would say about it with the subs.

audiojerry · « **Reply #19 on:** 10 Jan 2003, 05:05 pm »

the Vandersteen 3A Sigs are ridiculously cheap in relation to the cost of the Ibis biwire, that's for sure.

With the Vantersteen subs, don't you use a high-pass crossover between the preamp and the amp?

Rakesh, stop rubbing it in!